Blog Tour: Fathomless by Anne M. Pillsworth + Interview

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Fathomless
Redemption's Heir # 2
Author: Anne M. Pillsworth
Release Date: October 27th 2015
Publisher: Tor Teen

Sean dips even further into his magical destiny, but will blood prove thicker than the mysteries of Innsmouth's briny depths?

Sean Wyndham has tried to stay away from the lure of magic—the last time he tried to dabble in the dark studies, he inadvertently summoned a blood familiar, wreaking havoc on his town, and calling the attention of the Elder Gods. But now Sean has been offered the chance to study magic with a proper teacher, overseen by Helen Arkwright, a friend of Sean’s father and heir to ancient order of much power, who protects New England from that which lurks in the coastline’s unseen depths. But will learning theory be enough, when there is a much greater magical secret hidden in Helen’s vaulted library?

Accompanied by his best friend, Eddy, and their enigmatic new friend Daniel, Sean wades out deeper into mystical legend and shadow. With hints and secrets buried long in family lore, they turn to the suspicious Reverend Orne once more for assistance. But as Sean deepens his understanding of his power, a darkness is waking...

“A well-executed sequel that expands the mythos, solidifies the characters, and raises the stakes for the next outing.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers who enjoy series like Cassandra Clare and Holly Black's "Magisterium" (Scholastic) or John Flanagan's "The Ranger's Apprentice" (Penguin) will find plenty to delight in here.”
—School Library Journal

INTERVIEW

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Though I was born in New York State, New England is my soul-territory.  I've ended up just outside Providence, in both the geographical and philosophical senses.  Providence, Rhode Island, that is, center of Lovecraft country.  I keep a witch's herb garden, minus the deadly nightshade, plus the spiders.

What were your biggest challenges in writing Fathomless?

The very biggest was trying to figure out where an undersea metropolis could hide only a mile or so off the coast of Massachusetts.  The continental shelf keeps the water relatively shallow, plus the story's set in our inconvenient high-tech age, with nosy sonar and submarines and high-detail ocean floor mapping and what-not.  Come to think, high-tech causes a lot of plotting problems!  With people melded to their cell phones and other devices, it's so hard to isolate them so that evil-doers and monsters can have their way uninterrupted.  In the good old days, villains could just sneak up and cut a phone line, but no more, no.

So far, what are your top five favorite moments from the Redemption's Heir series?

Sean visiting Geldman's (mysterious, magical, sometimes inaccessible) Pharmacy for the first time.

The monstrous familiar in SUMMONED showing up at Sean's bedroom window, which just happens to be stuck open.  Don't you hate it when that happens?

Sean's psychic journey to a certain three-sunned planet with protoplasmic seas, where he converses with Nyarlathotep, Soul and Messenger of the Outer Gods, but really, quite a decent fellow.

The opening of FATHOMLESS, in which wizard Redemption Orne procures an artistic young runaway to feed to his lady love.

Sean and BFFs Eddy (Edna) and Daniel visiting haunted Innsmouth, where the "ghosts" are actually very much alive, and somewhat scaly.

Without spoilers, were there any scenes you had to cut that you wished you could have kept?

FATHOMLESS originally had a number of scenes in the viewpoint of "villain" Redemption Orne.  I always have great fun looking through his eyes, but I had to agree with my editor that these scenes were slowing down the action and could be recast into Sean's viewpoint.  However, I did get to keep the Redemption prologue and epilogue, both of which I love.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Oh, I think about this all the time.  Flying would be fun, but I'm afraid of running into a drone or airliner. Also angry birds.  Invisibility would be great, but only if you could also be inaudible and intangible, kind of like a poltergeist.  You would then be the ultimate spy, and if people annoyed you, you could drift through their houses, unplugging all the appliances, hiding all the spoons, writing cryptic messages on the walls, and rearranging their shoes.  Maybe gluing the shoes to the ceiling, muhahahahaha.  I guess I'd qualify as a supervillain, huh?

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ANNE M. PILLSWORTH's novel Summoned began the Redemption's Heir series, set in the same world as her short story "Geldman's Pharmacy," which received honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Thirteenth Annual Collection. She currently lives in a Victorian "trolley car" suburb of Providence, Rhode Island, with her wife.